Jennifer Knapp and Ted Haggard during the show

Larry King, Jennifer Knapp and Ted Haggard met on CNN

By Brian Nixon

Special to ASSIST News Service

The Christian music world was recently shocked with the news that Grammy-nominated Christian singer, Jennifer Knapp, is a lesbian.

Ms. Knapp’s recent Christianity Today article (Jennifer Knapp Comes Out, April 2010) put an end to the years of speculation and rumors over her orientation.

To make matters even more controversial, Larry King had a panel of folks on his April 23rd broadcast to discuss what it is to be Christian and gay.

This panel consisted of Mr. King, Jennifer Knapp, Ted Haggard (former pastor in Colorado, who, due to homosexual indiscretion, had to step down from his pastorate) and Bob Botsford, Pastor of Horizon North County, a Calvary Chapel church.

Jennifer Knapp and pastor Bob Botsford during the show

According to a YouTube video posted of Pastor Botsford, Bob states that he posted a blog on his personal website calling Jennifer back to the teachings of the Bible. This, in turn, got the attention of CNN, asking Bob to be on the panel on Larry King Live.

In all, it appeared that the broadcast yearned to be fair and balanced: Jennifer taking a pro-homosexual/Christian stance, Ted Haggard taking the middle ground (“show love.”) And Botsford taking the conservative Christian view: Jennifer is in sin and needs to repent.

Taken from a political vantage point, we had the “left” the “moderate” and the “right” represented in the debate.

The outcome -- at least from the comments posted on the various sites that are promoting the video -- are stunning. They range from calling Botsford a “Nazi” and a “pig-bigamist” to critical words concerning Jennifer Knapp.

Interestingly, Ted Haggard came out fairly unscathed in the attacks, with some stating he was a little “too soft” on Knapp, and other’s liking his emphasis on “love.”

As it happens, I have an interesting perspective on this whole situation.

I have had personal contact and interaction with two of the three persons involved, Knapp and Botsford, the two who were paired at opposite ends of the spectrum on the CNN broadcast.

Back in the mid-1990’s, the rock group I was in, Widow’s Mite, played a concert with Jennifer Knapp in Oakdale, California. I was able to spend some time with Jennifer backstage. She was a fun gal, feisty and playful in her demeanor. We would joke around with her; she would shoot right back, keeping our group of five guys on our toes.

If I recall correctly, as we were praying before we both went on stage, she asked from the Lord for humility. It was a lovely prayer.

Now fast-forward 10 or so years. My family is living in Encinitas, California, in North San Diego County. I am working at Horizon Prep School. Pastor Bob Botsford is the Senior Pastor of the sponsoring Church and founder of the school.

I worked along side Bob for over a year and a half, before I headed back to Orange County, California, to work in publishing. And let me say at the offset: Bob is not a “Nazi” or a “pig-bigamist” as stated by folks on the various blog sites.

Bob is a man with a heart to reach the North San Diego County community with God’s love, yearning to teach the Bible clearly and honestly. So any attacks on his character, usually by people who have never met him, are unfounded. People may disagree with Bob’s points, but to call him disparaging names is uncalled for- and unhealthy in such a heated debate.

When I watched the re-broadcast of the program on YouTube, I was saddened. Not because I was cheering for one side or the other. Rather, I was sad that the whole debate was a spectacle played out like gladiators in an arena, pairing the sides as competitors and antagonists to one another.

Larry King

I am not blaming Jennifer, Bob, or Ted -- maybe not even Larry. I am blaming myself for watching it, and being drawn in to the competition, a media driven – “Us versus Them,” mentality.

Issues like this deserve more than a ratings-driven T.V program. Tough issues deserve prayer, thought, listening, and study. I suppose my sadness arose from the fact that I ‘bought’ in to gladiator game; I became a spectator rather than one praying for each person.

Quite frankly, I would be more interested to hear what occurred after the program. Did they speak after the session ended, with their words and thoughts still fresh in their mind? I hope they did pray and talk, in love, to one another. But to tell you the truth, I hope none of theme speaks about what happened. It is an issue between them and the Lord.

But the question remains: how is the Church to approach the very heated topic of those who claim to be both homosexual and Christian?

Let me say at the offset- that a news article is not the place to wax eloquent or deeply about the matter. Men and women have tacked this subject in books, papers, and seminars, and private sessions, offering a variety of opinions, thoughts, and insights, and coming to various conclusions.

But the question still remains...

I think the approach Christians need to take is found in the sadness I felt of what should have occurred concerning this issue:

Prayer: people need to pray for one another, on both sides of the issue.

Listen: we should listen to the life, not bark out propositions.

Guide: guide people to God’s solutions to the situations.

Study: study the issue from a Biblical and ethical perspective, allowing the Spirit to guide and heal. True, it takes time, but the end result is not a made-for T.V spectacle, but a renewal of the spirit and mind.

One of the biggest issues I have with debates that occur on programs such as Larry King Live is that people don’t really get the time to express their ideas. In a way, people are treated as commodities or ideological caricatures, not the human being they were created to be.

As the Church we need to be wary of the ‘world’ (aka. TV programs and the like) setting the agenda of discussion, and allow the Lord to develop the agenda.

I have a pastor friend who, over the past two years, has met regularly with men living in a homosexual lifestyle. He meets with them without fanfare. The bottom line for this pastor in his conversations with these men is that the Bible develops a “sacred nature for relationships,” he then moves on to define what this sacred relationship is.

The Pastor likens relationships to other sacred principles such as “life” “freedom” “faith.” He doesn’t scream, hate, or condemn them (not that any on Larry King did, either, but sadly some do). No controversy laddered debates in his meetings. This pastor leads, guides, and listens with humility to their life, letting God do the healing.

I have heard of many people who have done similar things with other individuals caught in areas of unknowing, coming to completely different results on the numerous subjects.

Meaning, some, like Jennifer, have come to a different conclusions regarding the role of the Bible- and how they interpret it. In Jennifer’s case, homosexuality.

When this occurs, we need to pray the prayer Jennifer uttered at our rock concert years ago: Lord make me humble.

And follow Ted Haggard’s advice: seek the Love of God.

And adhere Bob Botsford’s challenge: pursue God’s truth.

And even more importantly, we need to take seriously St. Paul’s words to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling…” (Philippians 2:12b).

Notice we are not to work out “others” salvation, just our own. We are accountable first and foremost for our lives, sin, and shortcoming, trusting that God is at work in us for His good pleasure.

True, we are to proclaim the Good News of Christ’s resurrection and are to care for the weak and helpless, but ultimately we stand before God as an individual voice in the choir of humanity that seeks the One who truly understands our issues, our heart, our shortcomings, and our need for rest in Him.

Though we as humans are part of the same family, I am not you, and you are not me; we are creatures of the same family, creation, formed and fashion by the Creator.

The only thing that I can promise to do for you is pray for you, asking God for His wisdom, guidance, and strength in your journey through life, and humbly ask you to do the same for me. And when I can, offer help -- physically or spiritually -- to nurture you towards God’s purposes for your life.

And when I fall, for fall I will, ask that you extend a hand that will lead me to the Hand that is greater than the both of us.

When all is said and done, you are God’s creation, not mine. He cares for you greater than I ever could. So I will trust you into His care.

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TAGS: USA Jennifer Knapp Larry King Ted Haggard Bob Botsford Christianity homosexuality Larry King Live

[04/28/2010]

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